Caisson



Aug. 25, 1936. R, sA WElNER 2,051,926

CAISSON Filed July 1, 195s` 5 snets-sheet 1 Aug. 25, 1936. R s WHNER 2,051,926

CAISSON Filed July 1, 1935 y3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 25, 1936. R. s. WEINER 2,051,926

CAISSON Filed July 1, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 52, Z9 36 Il 1' o 54 o 41M,

Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES CAISSON Rudolph S. Weiner, Chicago, lll., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July l, 1933, Serial No. 678.821

2 Claims.

This invention relates to caissons, and more particularly to improvements in caissons especially designed for use in submarine drilling operations and to improvements in submarine drilling methods.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved caisson especially designed for use in submarine drilling, wherein the.hole is drilled and the hole loaded with a blasting charge, while the caisson assumes but one position, the loading operation occurring after completion of the drill hole and before the caisson is moved to another drilling position. Another object is to provide an improved caisson particularly designed for use in submarine drilling work. A further object is to provide means in submarine drilling methods wherein a caisson is employed to facilitate drilling and loading of the blast holes. Yet another object is to provide an improved caisson particularly designed for use in submarine drilling, having an improved lock at the bottom thereof whereby drilling and loading of the blast hole may be accomplished through the same lock and through the same opening at the bottom of the caisson. A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved submarine drilling apparatus whereby the drilling can be more simply, precisely and rapidly performed, and with the use of smaller, lighter drills relatively close to the work and using smaller drill steel. These and other objects and advantages of the invention will however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings there are shown, for purposes of illustration, several forms which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,-

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one illustrative form of the improved caisson, showing the drilling unit in position therein.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the improved drill and loading tube lock, showing a drill steel in position therein.

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a. cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l, showing the drill in drilling position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the drill in its inoperative position and with the loading tube in its operative loading position.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the caisson lock with a different form of stumng box for use with the loading tube.

Fig. 8 is a cross section takexr on line 8-8 of F18. '1.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view showing a modified form of caisson wherein a plurality of caisson locks are employed. 5

Fig. 10 shows a further modified form of caisson construction.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 and showing a still further modiiled form of caisson construction.

Fig. 12 showsthe improved caisson shown in Fig. 1, with a modined form of loading tube arrangement.

In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, there is shown l5 a caisson, generally designated I, a series of which are mounted at each side of the drill boat or other suitable support. and these caissons are sunk into the water to the desired depth, with the upper end of the caisson projecting above the water sur- 20' face open so that the pressure within the caisson is at all times atmospheric. In this instance, the caisson is comprised of a tubular casing 2 having formed therein a working chamber 3. The upper end 4 of thecaisson is also preferably tu- 25 bular in form and of reduced cross section, the lower end of the tubular portion 4 being united to the bottom casing 2 by an inclined partition 5. Encircling the tubular portion 4 of the caisson is an outer cylindrical casing 6 secured to the 30 bottom casing and preferably of the same diameter as the bottom casing. The wall portions 4 and 6 form an annular chamber 1 for receiving ballast of some sort for increasing the weight of the caisson, thereby facilitating lowering of 35 the caisson into the water. Obviously, the amount of ballast may be varied in accordance with the variation in the depth of the water. The chamber casing 2 has an end wall or bottom 9 carrying centrally within the caisson chamber a drill and loadingtube lock, generally designated I0. Attached by struts II or otherwise, to the lower end wall 9 of the caisson and arranged beneath the latter, is a mud pipe, or so-called mud pot I2, herein preferably arranged in coaxial alinement with the drill and loading tube lock I0 centrally along the axis of the caisson. If desired, the mud pot may be formed as an integral part of the caisson casing. Mounted at I3,'I3 within the reduced tubular portion 4 of the caisson is a drill guide frame I4 having longitudinal guideways for receiving a rock drill I5 of a standard design. 'I'he mounting is herein shown as hinged, but obviously any other form of mounting permitting either the drill or the guide frame 66 liol to be moved out of the way during loading is within the scope of my invention. The rock drill may be any suitable type of motor for actuating the drill steel, and for illustration I have shown an impact motor for actuating a. drill steel I9 having a usual drill bit I1. In the illustrative embodiment I have shown, mounted at the lower end of the drill guide frame, a suitable windlass I8 operated by hand cranks I9, and this windlass has wound thereon a hoisting cable 20 passing around a pulley 2I at the top of the drill guide and extending downwardly for connection at 22 to the rear end of the rock drill I5. OI course any other suitable hand-actuated or power-actuated mechanism can be used instead of this mechanism illustrated. Motive iiuid and cleansing uid, herein preferably air under pressure, are supplied to the rock drill through usual supply lines 23 and 24 extending downwardly through the caisson and connected at their upper ends to suitable sources of fluid supply, for instance, a compressor plant, carried on the drill boat.

The improved drill and loading tube lock I0 comprises a cylindrical casing 25 having an integral supporting ilange 26 bolted to the end wall or bottom 9 of the caisson in such manner as to form a seal between the caisson wall and the lock casing. The lower end of the lock casing extends downwardly through the end wall 9 of the caisson through an opening 21 in the manner shown in Fig. 2. Attached by a clamp 28 to the lock casing beneath the caisson bottom, is a bracket 29 having pivotally mounted thereon at 30 an arm 3|.4 Pivotally mounted at 32 on the pivoted arm 3| is a. closure member or lock gate 33 carrying a soft rubber ring 34 or other sealing device for engagement with the lower edge of the lock casing. For swinging the arm from within the caisson chamber to move the closure member or gate 33 into and out of its sealing position, there is provided a worm rack 35 formed on the lever arm 3| and meshing with a worm 36 iixed to a vertical operating rod31 suitably journaled within the bracket 29. This operating rod extends upwardly through a stuiling box 38 attached to the end wall 9 of the caisson, and carried at the upper end of the rod 31 within the caisson chamber is an operating handle 39. It will be understood. of course, that the bottom closure for the lock may assume various forms, another very practir:al one of which might consist of a gate valve arranged so that the valve element would move transversely of the lower endof the lock, and be actuated either by means wholly inside the caisson, or part'inside and part outside, depending upon whether the valve were just above the bottom or floor of the caisson, or below the latter in the plane of the bottom of the casing 25 as the latter is shown in Fig. 2.

Carried at the top of the lock casing 25 is a detachable top head 40 carrying a stuiling box 4| for engaging the drill steel I6 to form a seal, thereby to prevent leakage of water into the caisson. This upper top head carries a soft rubber ring 42, or other sealing device, for engagement with the upper edge of -the lock casing to form a seal. Formed on the upper head 40 are lateral lugs 43, 43 carrying link or eye members 44, and pivotally connected at 45 to toggle levers 46. 'I'he levers 46 are pivotally mounted at 41 on lateral ears integral with the lock casing. Threadedly connected with the upper end of the stuffing box and engageable with the packing 4| for adjusting the latter, is a plug 48 having an operating handle 49. When it is desired to insert the drill bit I1 within the lock casing, the upper head 40 is removed by releasing the toggle levers 46 and swinging the links or eye's 44 out of engagement with the lugs 43. 'I'he top head may then be lifted from the top of the lock casing and the shank of the drill steel inserted upwardly through the stuiilng box into the position shown ln Fig. 2. A

per head is then again placed on top of the lock casing and the parts adjusted in the position shown in Fig. 2 to rigidly hold the upper head in position on the lock casing.

When the drill bit I1 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and it is desired to lower the drill bit down through the lock at the bottom of the caisson, the operator turns the lever 39, thereby swinging th closure member 33 downwardly from the bottom of the lock casing. As the closure member 33 is released, the lock casing partially ills with water, but leakage of water from the casing into the caisson chamber is prevented by the stulng box 4|. A pipe 50 connected to the motive fluid supply line 23 for the rock drill is connected at 5| to the upper end of the lock casing, and this pipe is provided with a control valve 52. When it'is desired to withdraw the drill blt from the lock, the drill bit is moved upwardly within the lock casing tothe position shown in Fig. 2, and the closure member 33 moved to the position shown, in sealing engagement with the bottom of the lock casing. If desired, fluid under pressure may be conducted to the lock casing through the pipe 50 to blow out the water from the casing prior to the closure of the lower end of the casing. Instead of blowing out the casing through the pipe 50 with air supplied from the motive iluid supply line 23, the lock casing may be blown out by air under pressure supplied -to the lock casing down through the rock drill steel, which is in most instances made hollow.

When it is desired to drill a hole in the rock at the river or lake bottom, the caisson is lowered from the drill boat into -the position shown in Fig. 1, with the mud pipe or so-called mud pot I2 engaging the bottom surface. The drill steel which has been inserted within the air or water lock I0 is then lowered through the bottom of the lock casing, the closure member 33 being released as shown, and the drill bit I1 fed downwardly within the mud pipe I2. Air under pressure is then conducted down through the drill steel I6 to blow out the mud or other substances from the mud pipe. This result may also be effected by a water pipe (not shown) on the mud pot. When the drill bit I1 of the drill steel is in drilling position at the bottom, motive fluid is admitted through the supply line 23 to the rock drill I5, and as the drill of the illustrative embodiment is percussively actuated it is fed downwardly by the windlass and cable, along the drill guide frame I4, in a well known manner. During the drilling operation, the cuttings and mud the lock to the position shown in Fig. 2. The lock casing may then be blown out by fluid pressure.-

and the lower end thereof sealed by the closure member 33. Obviously it is unnecessary to blow out the lock, however, as the closure member seals the bottom thereof and no more water can enter; and such water as may stand in the lock above the closure member will ordinarily be unobjectionable. The top head and stuiilng box I0, 4I are then removed and the drill steel removed from the upper end of the lock casing. The drill guide frame I4 is then swung about its hinges I3, I3 from the drilling position shown in Fig. 5 laterally to its inoperative position shown in Fig. 6. The loading tube 55 is then placed in position, and the special loading tube stuffing box 56 (similar to the stufilng box 40, 4I for the drill steel) is placed in sealing engagement with the upper end of the lock casing 25, as shown in Fig. 7. The bottom closure member or gate 3 is then swung downwardly into its released position and the loading tube lowered by means of suitable apparatus carried within the caisson or by the drill boat, downwardly through the lock and mud pipe into the drill hole; and the, loading charge is thereafter inserted within the loading tube and forced downwardly therethrough to the bottom of the drill hole in the usual manner. The loading tube is then removed from the drill hole upwardly into a position wherein the lower end thereof is within the lock casing, as shown in Fig. 7; and thereafter the lower end of the air lock is sealed by the closure member 33 and the loading tube withdrawn from the lock. The caisson is then raised upwardly and moved laterally along the drill boat to another drilling and loading position. It will thus be seen that both drilling and loading take place through a common opening at the bottom of the caisson and through a common caisson lock.

In the modiiied form of construction shown in Fig. 9, the caisson 51 extends along the side of the drill boat and is of a narrow elongated shape so that the drill and loading tube may be moved lengthwise of the caisson into different drilling and loading positions without necessitating movement of the caisson into different positions relative to the drill boat after each drilling and loading operation. Carried at the bottom of this elongated caisson is a series of drill and loading tube locks 58, 59 and 60 and a series of mud pipes 6I, 62 and 63. After drilling and loading has taken place through the lock 58, the drill is moved successively in positions above the locks 56 and 60. Also, if desired, while the drill is operating through one lock, loading may be taking place in another lock. Although but three drill and loading tube locks are shown herein, it is desirable to use a larger number, and it is evident that any number desired may be employed.

In the modified form of caisson construction shown in Fig. 10, the caisson is generally designated 65, the working chamber 66, and the bottom end wall 61. Secured by braces 68, or otherwise, to the bottom of the caisson, is the mud pipe or so-called mud pot 69. Rotatably mounted allel with and oifset from the longitudinal center of the caisson; and mounted on this turntable structure is a pair of locks 16 and 11 of a design similar to the lock I0, the lock 16 constituting a loading tube lock, while the lock 11 constitutes a drill lock. When the parts are in the position shown, the drill. lock 11 is arranged directly over the drill hole at thelongitudinal center of the caisson, and drilling takes place through this lock in the manner described above in the preferred form of the invention. When the drill hole has been completed and the drill steel has been withdrawn from the drill lock, the turntable is rotated to move the drill lock out of the center of the caisson and to move the loading lock 18 into a position at the center of the caisson. The loading tube 55 is then lowered through the lock 16 into the drill hole'to permit insertion of the blasting charge within the drill hole, and is withdrawn from the hole through the lock 16 in the manner clearly described above. The stufilng box and top head 18 for the loading lock 16 are identical to those disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8 ofthe preferred form of the invention, while the stumng boxand top head 19 of the drill lock are identical to those disclosed in Fig. 2, and each of the locks is provided with a releasable bottom closure member or gate, similar to the closure member 33 shown in Fig. 2. It will thus be seen that drilling and loading take place down through the center of the caisson, through separate loading and drill locks instead of through but a single lock, as disclosed above in the preferred form of the invention.

In the modified form of caisson construction shown in Fig. 11, the caisson is generally designated 80, the working chamber 8|, and the lower end wall or bottom 82. In this form of the invention the lock 83 and mud pipe or so-called mud pot 84 are identical to and mounted in the same manner on the caisson bottom, as in the lpreferred form of the invention shown in Fig. l. In this modified form of construction, there is arranged above the end wall 82 of the caisson a transverse support 85 on which a turntable structure 86 is rotatably mounted. This turntable structure may be identical to that described above in regard to the caisson construction disclosed in Fig. 10, and therefore a repetition of the description thereof is considered unnecessary. In this form of the invention, the turntable structure has mounted thereon a guide frame 81 for the rock drill and a guide bracket and clamp 88 for the loading tube 55, andthe turntable is perforated by openings 89 and 90 through which the drill steel and loading tube are adapted to move downwardly through the turntable structure. When the parts are in the position shown, the drill steel opening 89 is in axial alinement with the caisson lock and mud pipe, and the drill steel is operated through the air lock and mud pipe to eiTect drilling of the drill hole. After the drill hole has been completed, the drill steel is withdrawn from the caisson lock upwardly through its opening in the turntable structure, the top head and stufiing box structure 40, 4I shown in Fig. 2 being released to permit withdrawal of the drill steel from the lock casing. The turntable 86 is then rotated to bring the loading tube opening 98 into axial alinement with the air lock, and the loading tube is-lowered through the stuiling box 56 shown in Fig. '7, which is then attached to the upper end of the lock casing, and downwardly through the lock and mud pipe into the drill hole. After the blasting charge has been lowered through the loading tube to the bottom of the drill hole, the loading tube is raised upwardly through the air lock and the caisson is thereafter raised upwardly and moved into another drilling and loading position, as in the preferred form of the invention described above.

In the modied form of construction shown in Fig. 12, the caisson I and drill lock I0 are identical to those described in the preferred form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.` In this form of the invention there are secured to the side of the casing a plurality of lateral supports or brackets for guiding a loading tube 96, the loading tube being arranged with its axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of the caisson and having its axis spaced from the center of the caisson a distance equal to the distance the drill holes are spaced apart. By thus arranging the loading tube, it is possible to effect loading of the completed drill hole while the drill is operating to drill the next succeeding hole. When this drilling and loading operation is completed, the drill steel and loading tube are raised upwardly and the caisson moved to the next drilling position, and thereafter the loading tube is lowered into the last completed hole while the drilling of the next succeeding hole is taking place, this operation being repeated until a series of holes is drilled and loaded. It will thus be seen that by arranging the loading tube in guides on the exterior of the caisson casing it is possible to eiect loading of the blast hole without the necessity of a loading tube lock. It is preferable, however, under most conditions, to drill and load through a common opening or caisson lock at the bottom of the caisson, as in the other forms of the invention above described.

As a result of this invention, it will be noted that an improved method and apparatus for blasting in the submarine drilling operations are provided, wherein a caisson is employed through which the drilling and loading operations take place. It will further be noted that an improved caisson is provided, especially designed for submarine drilling work, wherein a common opening or lock is provided at the bottom of the caisson, through which the drilling and loading operations take place. These and other uses and advantages of the invention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

While I have in this application specifically described several embodiments which my invention may assume inpractice, it will be understood that these forms are shown for illustrative purposes only, and that the invention may be lfurther modifled and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a submarine drilling apparatus, a caisson having in the bottom thereof a lock providing for drilling and loading selectively therethrough, and means within said caisson for supporting drilling and loading implements, movable to superimpose either selectively over said lock.

2. In a submarine drilling apparatus, a caisson having in the bottom thereof a lock providing for drilling and loading selectively therethrough, and a turntable rotatable about an axis offset laterally from the axis of said lock for supporting drilling and loading implements and rortatable to superimpose either selectively over said lock.

RUDOLPH S. WEINER. 

